


Childhood Memories

by infectedscrew



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Age Regression, Angst, Babysitting, De-Aged, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 06:56:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6792160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infectedscrew/pseuds/infectedscrew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick gets the strangest phone call and now, he has to become a babysitter for a five year old.</p><p>(Note: May Not Be Continued)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Childhood Memories

It had to be the strangest phone call Dick had ever gotten. He sat, staring at the screen like he had never quite seen it before. Had he lived any other life than this one, he would be inclined to call the Oracle a liar. Instead, he merely sighed, pulled himself out of his chair and pulled his cowl back on.

“Where is he?” He asked, clipping his belt on.

“The Gotham Docks,” the Oracle replied.

Dick gave a nod and swung himself into Gothams most famous vehicle. Just before he could get it started, Damian appeared at the passenger side.

“Where are you going Grayson?” He demanded.

“Tim is in trouble, I’m going to get him.”

Damian snorted and pulled himself in as well. “When is he not. And I’m going with. The sort of trouble Drake gets into needs an entire army to solve.”

Once the car was sealed, they pulled out of the cave and sped toward the docks. It was always annoying how far the Bat Cave was from Gotham. It was even more annoying when a partner in the war against crime might be in trouble. Dick gripped the steering wheel, his jaw locked. If Oracle was right, his night was about to get even longer.

“What sort of trouble is Drake in?” Damian asked after the silence stretched a little too long.

“I’m not quite sure,” he answered. He winced slightly when he felt the young man turn his head to glare at him. “Don’t give me that look. Oracle’s report is just so… Even for Gotham it’s strange.”

The vehicle rumbled to a halt in one of the many back alleys of the Gotham Docks. Setting it to stealth, Dick slipped out. Damian followed seconds later.

“What do you mean strange? Did he get turned into a female or something?” He asked, matching Dick’s pace.

“No, it’s… Worse?” Dick’s mouth tilted to the side, trying to think of a way to describe it.

Before he would have to, however, a sharp childish laugh echoed to them. Quickly following there was a harsh shriek and a splash of water. Dick swallowed and launched himself over the miles of crates. He feared the worst but what he found was slightly close to okay.

Tim Drake sat, wrapped in the folds of—what had once been a floor length cape—clapping his hands happily. His large blue-gray eyes were fixed on the water that was still rippling. As Dick watched, he gathered up the fabric, holding around his slim body and trotted over to look over the edge of the wood.

“Tim!” Dick shouted when the child tilted a little too far. He lurched forward and snagged the fabric. In a quick move, he had Tim and cape gathered up in his arms.

Damian’s mouth dropped open. “That… That is Drake?” He asked, pointing a gloved hand at the child in Dick’s arms.

There was no getting around, Tim Drake, the once fierce, respected Red Robin was now the size of a five year old, with the tiny voice and hands to match.

“Batman?” Tim chirped up at him, clearly interested. Then his eyes narrowed. “You’re not Batman,” he stated, looking dangerously close to a tantrum. He shifted to look at Damian and his body jerked in surprise. “You’re not Robin. Put me down, imposters!”

Dick groaned. “Oh no…”

-/-

It took a bit of effort but Dick got Tim tucked into Damian’s lap in the vehicle and he settled back in the driver’s seat.

“I don’t know why he has to sit in my lap,” Damian grunted, automatically locking his arms around Tim’s waist. It was on instinct, he would claim.

“There aren’t any seat belts in the back and I don’t want him bouncing around at high speed,” Dick explained, carefully maneuvering out of the docks.

They had discovered that the scream and splash had been one of Riddler’s thugs tripping over Tim’s useless costume and plunging into the water. It explained why Tim only had the cape left over but it didn’t explain why Tim was now the size of a child. This were going to take some serious thought and Dick didn’t think he had the brain power right now.

Tim wriggled in Damian’s lap, clearly wanting to get away. “Let go! You’re not Robin!” He whined when Damian’s hands clamped down on his stomach, holding him in place.

“Be careful, he’s a child,” Dick chided.

Damian rolled his eyes. “No, he’s a seventeen year old that looks like a five year old.”

“Damian, if he was still seventeen year old Tim he would know who you were. And that I am Batman, not Bruce.”

The car halted just at the edge of the alley. Tim was squirming in earnest and letting out high pitched sounds of distress. It was taking all of Damian’s will power to keep the kid in place.

“Tim,” Dick said, soothingly. He leaned across the center console to rest a hand on the back of Tim’s head. “Timmy.”

The boy looked at him with wide frightened eyes. Considering the fact Batman was using a ‘concerned’ voice on him, it wasn’t all that surprising. He stilled, keeping his gaze on Dick’s face. It was disturbing how focused the child’s gaze was despite only being five.

“Tim,” Dick repeated, using his free hand to pull off his cowl. Damian sucked in a breath and Dick knew he was searching the windows for people trying to peek in. “Tim, it’s me… Dick. Dick Grayson”

Tim’s face went blank. “But… You’re…” His brow furrowed, trying to piece together the information. “You’re taller.” He stated, crossing his arms over his thin chest.

Dick laughed. “It’s been two years since we last saw each other.”

Tim hesitated, not sure if that information made sense to him. “So… You’ve just changed a lot?” He offered, slowly.

Dick nodded. “So, it’s going to be okay. Damian is here to help.” He could feel Damian’s glare burning into his skin. “Just relax. Okay?”

Finally, Tim settled into Damian’s grip. He tucked the cape a little tighter around his form. Even if he didn't know who Damian was, if Dick Grayson and Batman said it was okay, then it certainly was.

“What do you mean you saw him two years ago?” Damian hissed when they had started forward again.

Dick sighed, frowning at the windshield. “I met Tim when he was three and I was eight,” he explained, weaving through the traffic of Gotham.

“He seriously remembers you from when he was three?” Damian shook his head. “Impossible.”

“He does, actually. Tim has a disgustingly good memory.”

The child in question gave a small yawn, his mouth stretching and his body shuddering. Despite all of Damian’s best glares and complaints, Tim curled against his chest and promptly fell asleep.

Dick let out a bark of laughter, hushing only when Tim let out a noise of discomfort. “Look at you Little D, being a big brother,” he teased.

“Shut up Grayson.”

—

The next time Tim opened his eyes, a whole crowd of people where around him, even a woman on a computer screen. He let out a small yelp and scooted away until his back hit a warm, solid surface.

“Whoa there little guy.” Dick caught his shoulder. Clearly, Tim had run in his stomach. “It’s okay. Just some friends.”

'Some friends’ turned out to be Alfred Pennyworth, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne and Barbara Gordon, on the computer screen. None of them were in uniform, which meant patrol had ended some time ago. He and Dick were settled on a soft cot in the Penthouse. Tim’s eyes narrowed and scanned each of their faces, checking to see if they were safe--none of them were familiar to him. His search was rudely interrupted when Stephanie’s hands shot out and she lifted him up into the air.

An undignified squawk left Tim’s throat. Right at that moment, he discovered someone had dressed him in child sized jeans and a t-shirt that weren't his own. He was going to guess the old man had done it. In a strange way he missed the heavy cape he'd found the night before.

“Oh man! You’re just the cutest thing!” She cooed, stepping back and lifting him even higher. Tim gripped her wrists for dear life.

The small group chuckled.

“Stephanie,” Dick pushed off of the cot and stepped forward. “Put him down.”

She frowned at him before setting the boy on his feet. Instantly, Tim shot behind Dick’s legs, seek refuge. There was another moment of shared laughter.

“What a weakling,” Damian sighed, crossing his arms and glaring at something on the other side of the cave. He, obviously, thought he had more important things to do.

Tim frowned before reaching over and pinching Damian’s thigh rather harshly.

Damian shrieked. “You little–!”

“Damian, Damian…” Dick caught the boy. “Calm down. He’s just a child.”

“Yea, a child I am so going to kill!”

Tim only stuck his tongue out.


End file.
